Cutter hold down apparatus

Abstract

The hold down apparatus includes cooperating adjustable fences confining a workpiece for travel past a rotary cutter. A hold down assembly of the apparatus includes wheel members carried by a vertically adjustable crossmember. The crossmember is biased by multiple springs with the spring rate being variable by threaded components. A screw shaft additionally permits precise vertical adjustment of the hold down means. A rearwardly off set hold down wheel prevents tipping of lengthy workpieces. The fences have recessed areas to allow positioning closely adjacent and inwardly past the hold down devices.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for attachment to the table of a bench saw or the like for confining workpieces of different thicknesses for travel past a rotatable cutter, said apparatus comprising, a framework for attachment to the saw table and including table mounted members and an arch extending therebetween,   opposed fences inwardly of said table mounted members and laterally spaced from the cutter,   means adjustably coupling said fences to the table mounted members, and   a hold down assembly including hold down means for contact with the upper surface of the workpiece, a movable crossmember extending intermediate upright members of the framework arch and carrying said hold down means, crossmember supports on said arch, one of said crossmember supports adjustably mounted on said arch whereby the hold down means may be positioned to accomodate workpieces of different thicknesses, spring members carried by at least some of said crossmember supports and acting on the crossmember to downwardly bias the hold down means carried thereby into workpiece contact to restrain same against upward displacement, adjustable means on some of said crossmember supports and positionable therealong to vary the rate of said spring members and hence the biasing force exerted thereby on said crossmember and on said hold down means.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said crossmember of the hold down assembly is in sliding engagement at its ends with the upright members of the framework arch. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said table mounted members include locking means engageable with said coupling means to retain said fences in place during saw operation. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus claimed in claim 3 wherein said fences include non-metallic members. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said fences defines a recess within its upper edge to permit inward passage of said one fence below said hold down means and into restraining contact with a workpiece edge. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 additionally including auxiliary hold down means carried in an offset manner by said framework for biased contact with the workpiece at a point spaced in the direction of workpiece travel from the first mentioned hold down means, said auxiliary hold down means including a spring member for downwardly biasing a workpiece contacting member of the auxiliary hold down means.